"True Blood's fantastic, allegorical premise allowed it to tell stories about prejudice and acceptance in a fresh new way," Gouttebroze says. "Yet over its seven seasons the series also went the extra mile by including many gay, lesbian, and bisexual characters who were just as diverse, dangerous, and memorable as Bon Temps' other residents."

Take a look back at some of the Bon Temps residents who have made True Blood an exemplar of LGBT representation in the media.

Sophie-Anne Leclerq (Evan Rachel Wood) was the vampire queen of Louisiana, who appeared on the second, third, and fourth seasons of True Blood. She regularly took both male and female lovers, including Hadley Hale, the cousin of Sookie Stackhouse.